Your skill in drawing the human figure is essential for success of any fashion illustration project you undertake. It is paramount to have at least basic skills and understanding of figure drawing. All methods of drawing human figure have important commonalities despite of different end goals. For example, figure drawing for animation or fine art are similar in the subject (the human figure) and in fundamentals of drawing itself. Accordingly, it makes perfect sense for an aspiring fashion illustrator to learn as much as it is possible about the basics of figure drawing before focusing on specific area of figure drawing for fashion. However, specifics of fashion illustration are crucial for success in fashion illustration field.
Fashion is driven not only by trends in fashionable garment but also by trends in fashionable body types. The ability of a fashion illustrator to draw fashion figure with style represents a level of professionalism required of proficient fashion illustrator.
Fashion is a matter of appearance as a whole, not only of garment alone. Thus the preferred body type and canon of physical beauty are changing with fashion along with changing fashion paradigms. The ability of fashion illustrator to draw along with fashion trends is essential for fashion illustration.
Ability to draw tasteful poses while drawing human figure for fashion is indispensable. Fashion style is a matter of gesture the same way as it is a matter of color or fabric texture. Ability of a fashion illustrator to catch the stylish gesticulation is an important skill which can make or break a fashion illustration.
Fashion figure drawing is often created using a so-called croquis - a special template of a fashion figure which makes process of fashion figure drawing more focused and efficient.
The fashion illustrator can design his or her own croquis for fashion drawings or use a fashion croquis prepared by someone else.
The more effective the use of croquis for fashion figure drawings, the better is the outcome of fashion illustration process. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to be very selective which fashion croquis to use and to use only the most stylish and professionally designed croquis which are true to human anatomy and offer a variety of stylish, trendy fashion poses.